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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rock — music
  3. staff — employees
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. march — the month
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. staff — employees
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. march — music
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mine — for digging
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. march — the month
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. staff — a stick

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