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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pop — to visit
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bound — tied together
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pop — music
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. band — a music group
  15. bound — obliged
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bound — certain
  19. chip — to eat
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. band — a ring
  24. prune — to trim

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