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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. ball — a dance
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mark — a trace
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. swing — music
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kick — in football

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