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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: ball · cabinet · mark · fall · rock · object · roll · stick

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. ball — a great time
  3. object — an aim
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. object — to protest
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mark — a grade
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. object — a thing
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rock — a stone
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. roll — a cake
  24. roll — a list

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