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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: ground · roll · net · content · spell · stick · arm · rock

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. spell — letters
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. net — after costs
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. ground — crushed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — a cake
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. content — happy
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. rock — music
  16. spell — magic
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — for catching
  20. spell — a short time
  21. net — in sport
  22. ground — a position
  23. content — the amount
  24. arm — part of the body

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