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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pitch — completely
  10. suit — in cards
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spell — letters
  16. lean — thin
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. spell — magic
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. suit — to fit
  24. spring — a coil

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