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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bear — the animal
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. toast — bread
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. chip — for betting

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