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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — to eat
  8. swing — music
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — the sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bear — the animal
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — a price
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. pitch — completely

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