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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. court — for sport
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. court — of law
  6. court — of a king
  7. stock — shares
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stock — goods
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. degree — from a university
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. degree — temperature
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. squash — the sport

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