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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: dip · wax · net · arm · rule · ball · bowl · rest

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. net — after costs
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. rule — government
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wax — to grow
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. rest — a break
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — for catching
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rest — what's left
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. net — in sport
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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