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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. firm — decided
  4. object — a thing
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. object — to protest
  8. game — wild animals
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. cap — a hat
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. cap — a lid
  14. object — an aim
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. cap — of ice
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. firm — steady
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. snap — to click

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