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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. swing — in golf
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. track — a song
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. plane — a tool
  10. swing — to play on
  11. track — a path
  12. bat — the animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — music
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. track — to keep track

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