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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ground — a position
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ground — crushed
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. deal — to handle
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ground — the earth
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. deal — a big deal

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