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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. charge — a price
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bass — low music
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. mug — a cup
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mug — a face
  16. charge — in control
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bass — the fish
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. charge — electricity

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