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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 120 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. spell — a short time
  3. tube — a container
  4. firm — steady
  5. season — in sport
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. firm — a company
  12. spell — letters
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. spell — magic
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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