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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. club — a group
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. lean — thin
  5. club — for golf
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. saw — the tool
  9. root — the cause
  10. game — wild animals
  11. saw — the tool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. season — in sport
  14. club — for dancing
  15. root — of a word
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. root — of a plant
  19. lean — to bend
  20. season — of the year
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — a match
  24. lean — to rest against

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