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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: toast · lie · row · deal · kid · bowl · racket · staff

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. row — a line
  4. staff — a stick
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. toast — bread
  9. deal — to handle
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. lie — to recline
  13. staff — employees
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. staff — employees
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. racket — for tennis

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