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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. shower — rain
  9. fork — in a road
  10. swing — music
  11. pitch — completely
  12. cap — a hat
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. foot — a measure
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. shower — to wash
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pitch — a sports field

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