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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. squash — to crush
  3. court — for sport
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. court — of law
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bear — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. court — of a king
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. board — to get on
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bore — to tire
  22. date — the fruit
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — to pay attention

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