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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. net — after costs
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. toast — bread
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. swing — music
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — in sport
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. kick — in football
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. kick — with a leg

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