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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: key · pop · bay · lie · ball · kick · bowl · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pop — soda
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kick — in football
  6. ball — a great time
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lie — to recline
  14. key — in music
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pop — music
  17. row — a line
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ball — a dance

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