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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fall — the season
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. fall — to drop
  16. content — happy
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. content — the amount
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ball — a great time
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. chip — to eat

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