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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. field — a subject
  7. degree — from a university
  8. field — for sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. degree — temperature
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pit — a hole
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. shower — rain
  21. field — farmland
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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