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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bound — certain
  7. net — in sport
  8. bound — tied together
  9. net — after costs
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. net — for catching
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. suit — in cards
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fork — in a road
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. temple — a place of worship

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