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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. fall — to drop
  5. present — a gift
  6. bear — the animal
  7. march — the month
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fall — the season
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. fall — to drop

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