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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 124 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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. staff — a stick
  16. foot — a measure
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. suit — to fit
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. foot — part of the body

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