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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ground — a position
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bound — certain
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — obliged
  14. cue — a signal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ground — the earth
  17. rule — a law
  18. band — a music group
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rule — government
  22. ground — crushed
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. band — a ring

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