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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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. land — to come down
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. drill — a practice
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chip — to eat
  19. land — a country
  20. spell — letters
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. drill — army training
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mouse — the animal

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