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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pitch — completely
  6. club — a group
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bore — to tire
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. game — a match
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. club — for golf
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. game — a kind of play

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