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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. foot — a measure
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mate — to breed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. suit — in cards

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