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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pitch — completely
  5. clip — for paper
  6. chest — a box
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chest — of your body
  12. roll — a cake
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. roll — a list
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. clip — a video
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. can — a tin
  23. clip — to cut
  24. fan — to cool the air

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