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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. net — for catching
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ball — a great time
  6. key — for a lock
  7. key — in music
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. chip — for betting
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. key — the most important part
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. net — after costs
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. kick — in football
  24. ball — a dance

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