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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. firm — steady
  4. root — of a word
  5. scale — size or range
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. suit — to fit
  13. scale — in music
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. root — of a plant
  17. wind — moving air
  18. firm — decided
  19. row — a line
  20. root — the cause
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. firm — a company
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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