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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rest — a break
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bass — the fish
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rock — music
  18. spring — the season
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bass — low music
  21. spring — of water
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bowl — to roll

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