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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 116 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. swing — in golf
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rule — government
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bank — for money
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bank — for money
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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