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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ground — the earth
  8. mate — a friend
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — a position
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pitch — completely
  15. net — in sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. net — for catching
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. net — after costs
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. can — to be able to

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