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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. dip — to sink
  3. march — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. rest — what's left
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. craft — a skill
  11. march — the month
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. land — ground
  14. march — the month
  15. land — a country
  16. craft — boats
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. land — to come down
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. rest — a break
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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