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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. row — to paddle
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ground — a position
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. track — a song
  11. row — a line
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ball — a dance
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hand — in cards
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. track — to keep track
  22. hand — help
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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