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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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. march — the month
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. club — for golf
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. row — a line
  9. club — a group
  10. row — to paddle
  11. toast — bread
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. march — the month
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. march — music
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pass — a permit

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