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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. clip — a video
  5. mark — a trace
  6. hand — help
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mark — a grade

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