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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 124 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. pop — music
  4. staff — employees
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bass — the fish
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pop — soda
  9. file — a tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. object — a thing
  12. staff — employees
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. file — a document
  16. pop — to visit
  17. file — a line of people
  18. object — to protest
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. staff — a stick
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bass — low music
  24. bowl — a football final

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