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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — to rob
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — bread
  15. present — a gift
  16. rest — a break
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mug — a face
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. present — the time now
  23. scale — in music
  24. rest — what's left

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