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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · bowl · arm · temple · object · saw · mark · ball

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. object — an aim
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. saw — the tool
  6. object — a thing
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mark — a trace
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. object — to protest
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bowl — a football final

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