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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. drill — army training
  3. club — a group
  4. drill — the tool
  5. club — for dancing
  6. kick — in football
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. craft — boats
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rash — a series
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. pass — a permit
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rash — hasty
  23. drill — a practice
  24. club — for golf

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