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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. club — for golf
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. land — to come down
  6. club — for dancing
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. club — a group
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. land — ground
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pitch — completely
  23. land — a country
  24. bowl — a football final

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