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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: object · stem · spell · dip · ball · foot

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — a measure
  3. object — an aim
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. object — a thing
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. object — to protest
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. spell — magic
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — to come from
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a great time

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