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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. season — in sport
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cell — in biology
  11. present — the time now
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. season — of the year
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. present — there
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. present — a gift
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bowl — to roll

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