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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fine — all right
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. row — to paddle
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cue — for pool
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ball — a dance
  21. row — a line
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. ball — a great time

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