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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. net — in sport
  4. roll — a list
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. net — for catching
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. hand — in cards
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. hand — help
  22. stem — to come from
  23. net — after costs
  24. ball — a great time

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