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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. bear — the animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. court — for sport
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. lie — to recline
  13. object — to protest
  14. court — of law
  15. object — a thing
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. band — a ring
  18. court — of a king
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. object — an aim
  22. band — a music group
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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