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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: firm · bowl · ball · foot · dip · wave · jam · can

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. ball — a dance
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a great time
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. can — to be able to
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. firm — steady
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. firm — a company
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. firm — decided
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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