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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: bowl · net · ball · spell · safe · board · saw · march

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. spell — letters
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. net — in sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — a committee
  16. net — after costs
  17. march — the month
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. saw — the tool
  21. net — for catching
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. board — to get on
  24. spell — a short time

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