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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.

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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: firm · ball · net · hand · ground · ruler

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. firm — steady
  4. ground — a position
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. net — in sport
  10. hand — help
  11. net — after costs
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — decided
  17. firm — a company
  18. net — for catching

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