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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. spell — a short time
  5. swing — in golf
  6. charge — a price
  7. bass — low music
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — the fish
  12. charge — in control
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — humankind
  18. saw — the tool
  19. swing — to play on
  20. swing — music
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. race — a contest

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