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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. track — a path
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. fine — all right
  14. bass — low music
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fine — high quality
  20. track — a song
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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