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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. tube — the underground
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — a division
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ball — a dance
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. ball — a great time
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com