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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. drill — army training
  3. net — for catching
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. spring — a coil
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. net — in sport
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. stand — to bear
  15. spring — of water
  16. chair — a leader
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. net — after costs
  20. ball — a dance
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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