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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: roll · ball · nail · tear · arm · spell · mouse · lie

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. roll — a cake
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. spell — letters
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. roll — a list
  19. ball — a great time
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. lie — an untruth

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