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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — in a road
  7. snap — to click
  8. club — a group
  9. pound — a weight
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. club — for golf
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. coach — a trainer

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