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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. charge — in control
  4. roll — a list
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. firm — a company
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. charge — a price
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. roll — a cake

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