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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 120 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: can · wake · ball · pitch · shower · bowl · land · stick

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a great time
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. can — a tin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. shower — to wash
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — rain
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. land — ground
  24. land — to come down

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