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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bat — the animal
  3. object — an aim
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — a thing
  10. cap — a hat
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. cap — a lid
  18. ball — a dance
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. object — to protest
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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