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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. firm — a company
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. firm — decided
  5. mug — a cup
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. race — humankind
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — to get on
  12. branch — a division
  13. board — a committee
  14. mug — a face
  15. race — a contest
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. snap — to click
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. firm — steady
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. race — the arms race

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