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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — music
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. staff — a stick
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. club — a group
  12. race — the arms race
  13. snap — to click
  14. staff — employees
  15. club — for dancing
  16. race — humankind
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. race — a contest
  22. staff — employees
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. club — for golf

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