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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: wave · hide · content · present · pitcher · ball · foot · firm

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. content — the amount
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. foot — a measure
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. present — there
  11. firm — a company
  12. content — happy
  13. present — the time now
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — steady
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. present — a gift
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. firm — decided

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