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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. rash — a series
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — tied together
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rash — hasty
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bound — obliged
  11. foot — a measure
  12. rock — music
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bound — certain
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chip — in a computer

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