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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 116 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. can — a tin
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mug — to rob
  13. scale — size or range
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — to be able to
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lean — to bend
  22. scale — in music
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rush — a thrill

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