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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. board — to get on
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bass — the fish
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. mark — a trace
  14. shower — to wash
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — the most important part
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. key — in music
  19. bass — low music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. key — for a lock
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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