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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bound — certain
  7. pit — a hole
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bound — tied together
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. chest — a box
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bound — obliged
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. chest — of your body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. chest — of your body

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