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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.

Make a worksheet

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

Word bank: ball · ground · key · land · foot · lie

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. key — in music
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. foot — a measure
  9. ball — a great time
  10. land — ground
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lie — to recline
  14. land — to come down
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. key — for a lock
  18. land — a country

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