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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — in sport
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. hide — animal skin

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