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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · mine · spring · deal · bowl · foot · mouse · firm

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. pop — soda
  4. spring — of water
  5. pop — music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. foot — a measure
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mine — for digging
  16. firm — steady
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. spring — a coil
  20. spring — the season
  21. deal — to handle
  22. firm — decided
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. firm — a company

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