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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pop — music
  8. bound — tied together
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — certain
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ball — a great time
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — a song
  21. track — a path
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bound — obliged
  24. staff — employees

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