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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. march — the month
  3. firm — decided
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. march — music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. firm — a company
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. chair — a leader
  11. object — to protest
  12. game — a match
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. march — the month
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. club — a group
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. snap — to click
  23. club — for golf
  24. firm — steady

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