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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ball — a dance
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mark — a grade
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a great time
  24. court — of a king

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