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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: coach · foot · ball · hand · nail · bear

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hand — help
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. coach — a trainer

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