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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. chair — a leader
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. plane — a tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. key — the most important part
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wave — of the sea

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