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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.

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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: rest · bank · fine · bowl · ball · drill · squash · foot

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bank — for money
  7. drill — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. drill — army training
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. drill — a practice
  16. fine — all right
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. foot — a measure
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a dance
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rest — a break
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. foot — the bottom

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