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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
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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: foot · ball · can · land · mouse · calf · hand · spring

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. ball — a dance
  4. land — ground
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. land — a country
  7. spring — of water
  8. spring — a coil
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. spring — the season
  12. hand — in cards
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. land — to come down
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. hand — help
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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