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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. net — in sport
  5. bore — to drill
  6. suit — in cards
  7. object — an aim
  8. wound — an injury
  9. object — a thing
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. net — for catching
  13. bore — to tire
  14. net — after costs
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a song
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. object — to protest
  22. track — a path
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. track — to keep track

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