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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: spell · ball · arm · bowl · mug · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. spell — letters
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mug — a face
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. spell — magic
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. spell — a short time
  18. chair — a leader

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