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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: ball · present · bank · court · lie · sharp · dip · pound

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pound — a weight
  4. present — the time now
  5. court — for sport
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. court — of a king
  8. present — there
  9. court — of law
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bank — of a river
  15. ball — a great time
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bank — for money
  21. dip — to sink
  22. lie — to recline
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lie — an untruth

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