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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. season — in sport
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. net — for catching
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. firm — a company
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. net — after costs
  14. drill — army training
  15. ball — a great time
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. drill — the tool
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. net — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. firm — decided
  23. firm — steady
  24. ball — a dance

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