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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: mug · ball · bore · season · foot · club · plane · roll

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. roll — a cake
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. club — for golf
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. roll — a list
  9. club — for dancing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. season — of the year
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a dance
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mug — a face
  22. club — a group
  23. season — in sport
  24. bore — to drill

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