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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 116 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. swing — in golf
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. mate — to breed
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. prune — to trim
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. net — for catching
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a friend
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. net — after costs
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. swing — music
  24. net — in sport

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