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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: cabinet · pitcher · tube · bowl · mate · bay · deal · club

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mate — a friend
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. club — a group
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. club — for golf
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. mate — a partner
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mate — to breed

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