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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — for catching
  6. wax — to grow
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. net — in sport
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fall — to drop
  15. suit — to fit
  16. net — after costs
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fall — to drop
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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