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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. firm — steady
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. club — a group
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — a company
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — in cards
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. suit — to fit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. firm — decided
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — clothes
  21. dip — to sink
  22. club — for golf
  23. chair — a leader
  24. dip — to dunk

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