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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: ball · clip · rest · bark · rock · roll · present · foot

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. ball — a dance
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. present — there
  10. rest — a break
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. present — a gift
  13. rock — music
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bark — to shout
  17. roll — a list
  18. present — the time now
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rest — what's left
  22. roll — a cake
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rock — to move gently

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