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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: lie · land · foot · ball · content · rush · race · plane

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. race — a contest
  4. land — to come down
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. land — ground
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. content — happy
  9. race — humankind
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. land — a country
  14. content — the amount
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rush — hurry
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — the arms race
  21. lie — to recline
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. plane — a tool
  24. ball — a great time

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