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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pass — a permit
  3. game — wild animals
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. tube — a container
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — all right
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cap — of ice
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. cap — a hat
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. squash — to crush
  21. tube — the underground
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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