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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ground — a position
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pop — soda
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pop — music
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. trunk — of a car

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