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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. spell — letters
  5. can — to be able to
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rock — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. cell — a phone
  14. tube — a container
  15. bass — low music
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — in biology
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — a short time
  21. can — a tin
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. rock — a stone

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