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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.

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: dip · firm · wind · scale · spring · kick · content · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. dip — to sink
  4. kick — in football
  5. content — happy
  6. spring — the season
  7. ball — a dance
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. scale — size or range
  11. spring — of water
  12. wind — moving air
  13. firm — decided
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. firm — steady
  17. scale — in music
  18. firm — a company
  19. ball — a great time
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. content — the amount
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wind — moving air
  24. spring — a coil

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