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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. tube — the underground
  6. firm — a company
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. firm — steady
  11. pop — music
  12. rule — a law
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. firm — decided
  16. tube — a container
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rule — government
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. tube — in a tire

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