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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. ground — a position
  3. spell — a short time
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. spell — letters
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. club — a group
  12. tube — a container
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. kid — child
  16. club — for golf
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. tube — the underground
  22. club — for dancing
  23. kid — to tease
  24. pitcher — in 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