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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: rush · saw · foot · face · bowl · land · ball · tube

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. tube — the underground
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. face — to point toward
  9. rush — hurry
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ball — a dance
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. ball — a great time
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. face — to confront
  21. foot — a measure
  22. land — ground
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tube — in a tire

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