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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 piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. shower — rain
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. shower — to wash
  13. craft — boats
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. key — the most important part
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. key — for a lock
  24. craft — a handicraft

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