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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — to get on
  10. pop — music
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rush — hurry
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. board — a committee
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — a price
  19. pop — soda
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. charge — in control
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pop — to visit

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