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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 · fine · foot · rock · wake · kick · ruler · roll

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. roll — a cake
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — a list
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fine — all right
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. kick — in football
  22. foot — a measure
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rock — a stone

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