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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. net — for catching
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. ball — a great time
  16. net — after costs
  17. rule — a law
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rule — government
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. net — in sport
  24. coach — a trainer

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