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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.

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: bowl · kick · ground · rock · dip · face · staff · fine

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fine — all right
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rock — a stone
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. face — part of the head
  14. ground — the earth
  15. face — to confront
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rock — music
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ground — a position
  20. ground — crushed
  21. staff — employees
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. kick — in football

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