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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. can — to be able to
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bulb — for light
  10. can — a tin
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. snap — to click
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bulb — for light
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. can — a tin
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a dance
  23. row — a line
  24. coach — a trainer

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