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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. scale — in music
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. land — a country
  16. firm — steady
  17. pound — a weight
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — ground
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. hide — animal skin

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