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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. charge — a price
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — to fit
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pop — music
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. suit — in cards
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. suit — clothes
  23. mark — a trace
  24. land — ground

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