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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. land — ground
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — a country
  5. kick — in football
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fork — in a road
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mug — to rob
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ground — crushed
  23. land — to come down
  24. mug — a face

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