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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bowl · jam · key · pound · charge · bat · lie · net

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. pound — a weight
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. net — in sport
  6. key — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. net — after costs
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. charge — a price
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. charge — in control
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bat — for baseball

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