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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. firm — steady
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. net — in sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. firm — decided
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. firm — a company
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. tube — the underground
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. tube — a container
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. net — for catching
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. net — after costs
  24. ball — a great time

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