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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. ball — a dance
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. staff — employees
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. current — of water
  10. staff — a stick
  11. row — to paddle
  12. band — a ring
  13. band — a music group
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. current — electric
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ball — a great time
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pitcher — a jug

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