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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pop — soda
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. pop — to visit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bat — the animal

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