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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. swing — in golf
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. swing — music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. lie — to recline

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