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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. tear — from crying
  9. chip — to eat
  10. last — finally
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. last — final
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. last — to go on
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. plane — a tool
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. plane — an aircraft

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