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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bear — the animal
  12. toast — bread
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mug — to rob
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — to drill
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pop — music
  22. lean — thin
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mug — a face

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