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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: dip · nail · board · season · spell · bear · bowl · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — a committee
  11. spell — magic
  12. season — in sport
  13. spell — letters
  14. dip — to sink
  15. season — of the year
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bear — the animal

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