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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: nail · ball · band · dip · tube · deal · season · foot

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. season — in sport
  3. tube — a container
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. band — a ring
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. band — a music group
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. tube — the underground
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. deal — to handle
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. foot — a measure
  23. season — of the year
  24. deal — a big deal

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