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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. can — to be able to
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. spring — the season
  8. drill — the tool
  9. spring — of water
  10. can — a tin
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. drill — army training
  18. cue — a hint
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fork — in a road
  24. chip — to eat

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