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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitch — completely
  7. branch — a division
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. pit — a hole
  16. craft — a skill
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rock — music
  20. rush — hurry
  21. craft — boats
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. fan — a supporter

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