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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — steady
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pit — in a race
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. firm — a company
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. swing — in golf
  21. firm — decided
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. wake — a trail

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