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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: bay · pitcher · bowl · object · toast · ball · saw · club

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — bread
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. object — an aim
  17. saw — the tool
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. club — for golf
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. club — a group
  23. object — to protest
  24. ball — a round shape

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