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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: face · ball · saw · ground · cap · shower · bowl · rock

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — rain
  6. ground — the earth
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. rock — a stone
  9. face — to confront
  10. ground — a position
  11. face — to point toward
  12. shower — to wash
  13. cap — a lid
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — of ice
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ground — crushed
  20. face — part of the head
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ball — a great time
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. cap — a hat

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