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

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. ground — crushed
  5. can — a tin
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rest — what's left
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rest — a break
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — a position
  18. rest — what's left
  19. scale — in music
  20. ground — the earth
  21. can — a tin
  22. band — a ring
  23. scale — size or range
  24. band — a music group

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