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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pop — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cue — a signal
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pop — soda
  9. bat — the animal
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pop — to visit
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bat — for baseball

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