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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. swing — in golf
  5. key — in music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. swing — to play on
  8. season — of the year
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stock — shares
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. key — for a lock
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — in sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. swing — music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. stock — goods

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