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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
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: plane · ground · foot · bowl · rule · arm · dip · ball

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. foot — a measure
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rule — government
  24. arm — part of the body

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