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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. fine — high quality
  4. degree — an amount
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. degree — temperature
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — to play on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. swing — music
  22. fine — all right
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hide — animal skin

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