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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: foot · rest · dip · coach · ball · swing · bowl · nail

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. ball — a dance
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rest — a break
  6. swing — in golf
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — to sink
  9. swing — music
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. foot — a measure
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. ball — a round shape

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