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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. object — an aim
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. object — a thing
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. season — in sport
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — what's left
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. ball — a great time
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. season — of the year
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. rest — a break
  24. object — to protest

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