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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: deal · spell · foot · file · suit · roll · bat · bowl

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spell — letters
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. roll — a list
  7. file — a line of people
  8. foot — a measure
  9. file — a tool
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. file — a document
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spell — a short time
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. spell — magic
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bat — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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