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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. saw — the tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pop — soda
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pop — music
  16. pitch — completely
  17. band — a ring
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — a permit
  24. band — a music group

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