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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. net — in sport
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ball — a dance
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rock — music
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chip — for betting
  14. rock — a stone
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rock — to move gently

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