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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — a short time
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. hand — help
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. hand — in cards
  10. club — for golf
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mug — a face
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitch — completely
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mug — to rob
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. craft — boats
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mug — a cup
  24. spell — magic

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