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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. object — a thing
  7. pitch — completely
  8. object — to protest
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — an aim
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. drill — army training
  22. ball — a dance
  23. drill — a practice
  24. ball — a great time

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