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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. last — to go on
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bat — the animal
  8. last — final
  9. court — of law
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. scale — size or range
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stand — to bear
  16. scale — in music
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. court — for sport
  20. last — finally
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. court — of a king
  24. bay — a horse colour

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