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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ground — a position
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. deal — to handle
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fork — in a road
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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