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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: ground · pass · fall · ball · arm · hand · firm · toast

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ground — the earth
  3. fall — to drop
  4. hand — help
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hand — in cards
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — the season
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. pass — a permit
  15. firm — steady
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. firm — decided
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. ball — a dance
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. toast — bread

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