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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 120 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: row · stick · foot · bowl · rush · saw · ball · season

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. ball — a dance
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. season — in sport
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a line
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. row — to paddle
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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