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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. suit — clothes
  6. firm — a company
  7. deal — to handle
  8. firm — steady
  9. last — final
  10. suit — in cards
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. last — finally
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — to fit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. last — to go on
  21. squash — to crush
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — decided
  24. squash — the sport

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