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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitch — completely
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. scale — size or range
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bore — to tire
  15. toast — bread
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bowl — a dish

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