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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — in biology
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cue — a signal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. kick — in football
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wound — an injury
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cue — for pool
  24. cell — a phone

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