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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pass — a permit
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. band — a ring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rush — hurry
  13. band — a music group
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ball — a dance

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