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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — letters
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. spell — a short time
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — magic
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. suit — clothes
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pit — a hole
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bank — for money
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. arm — a part of something

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