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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — to rob
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mug — a face
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. row — to paddle

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