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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. field — farmland
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. field — a subject
  15. suit — clothes
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pop — soda
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pop — music
  20. field — for sport
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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