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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a match
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. drill — a practice
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pass — a permit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — army training
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. object — to protest
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bowl — a dish

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