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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 116 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: pitcher · saw · chip · ball · can · kid · mark · bowl

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. can — a tin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kid — to tease
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. can — to be able to
  17. kid — child
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mark — a grade

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