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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. drill — the tool
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. suit — in cards
  7. roll — a list
  8. drill — army training
  9. club — a group
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cap — a hat
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. club — for dancing
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cap — of ice
  22. club — for golf
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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