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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.

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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: spring · dip · ball · pop · bowl · foot · stand · content

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — to sink
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. foot — a measure
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. spring — the season
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pop — soda
  12. content — the amount
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. content — happy
  17. pop — music
  18. spring — a coil
  19. stand — to bear
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. spring — of water
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ball — a dance
  24. content — videos and posts

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