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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: dip · march · foot · bound · roll · ball · stand · can

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. roll — a list
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ball — a dance
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — a measure
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bound — certain
  10. march — the month
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. march — the month
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. roll — a cake
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bound — tied together
  23. march — music
  24. dip — to sink

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