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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: ball · foot · land · cap · jam · ruler · mark · bowl

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. ball — a great time
  3. land — a country
  4. mark — a grade
  5. land — ground
  6. cap — of ice
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a dance
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — to come down
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bowl — to roll

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