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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. club — a group
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — in golf
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. club — for dancing
  16. swing — to play on
  17. roll — a cake
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — completely
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. club — for golf

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