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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chip — for betting
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rush — hurry
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. ball — a dance
  18. degree — an amount
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bowl — a dish

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