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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cold — not warm
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a dance
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. charge — a price
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cold — an illness
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. dip — to sink
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. cabinet — ministers

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