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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 116 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. kick — in football
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. charge — in control
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — a price
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. charge — electricity

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