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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · fine · foot · ground · roll · arm · tear · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. dip — to sink
  3. roll — a cake
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. tear — from crying
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — high quality
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ground — a position
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. tear — from crying
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. tear — to rip
  17. ground — the earth
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. roll — a list
  23. foot — a measure
  24. ground — crushed

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