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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. can — a tin
  3. charge — a price
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. can — a tin
  8. charge — in control
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. rash — a series
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. can — to be able to
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rash — hasty
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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