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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. cue — a hint
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — electric
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ground — crushed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. foot — a measure
  23. current — of water
  24. bowl — a football final

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