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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 116 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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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 · stick · fork · bowl · dip · snap · race · ruler

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. dip — to sink
  10. race — a contest
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a great time
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. race — the arms race
  15. ball — a dance
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. race — humankind
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. snap — to click

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