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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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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: spell · row · bowl · mug · kick · pass · toast · kid

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. mug — to rob
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. toast — bread
  6. row — to paddle
  7. kick — in football
  8. spell — magic
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pass — a permit
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mug — a face
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. mug — a cup
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. spell — a short time
  20. kid — child
  21. spell — letters
  22. row — a line
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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