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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.

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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: bowl · present · spell · pop · chair · foot · object · deal

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. present — a gift
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. object — to protest
  10. present — there
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. chair — a leader
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. spell — magic
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. present — the time now
  18. object — a thing
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pop — soda
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pop — music
  24. deal — an agreement

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