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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. tube — a container
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rock — music
  5. snap — to click
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — all right
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. charge — a price
  17. foot — a measure
  18. tube — the underground
  19. fine — high quality
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — electricity

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