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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. deal — to handle
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. prune — to trim
  13. cell — in biology
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wound — an injury
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. suit — clothes
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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