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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mug — to rob
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — to be able to
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rush — hurry
  14. key — in music
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. key — the most important part
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. march — the month
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — a face

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