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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: leaves · content · snap · ball · nail · roll · ground · hide

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ground — crushed
  3. snap — to click
  4. roll — a cake
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. content — the amount
  9. ground — the earth
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. content — happy
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. ground — a position
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ball — a dance
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. roll — a list

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