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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. snap — to click
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. mug — a face
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. board — a committee
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mug — a cup
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. tube — a container
  18. board — to get on
  19. tube — the underground
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stem — to come from
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. cabinet — ministers

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