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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a trace
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. field — farmland
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. field — a subject
  20. field — for sport
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. roll — a list

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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