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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.

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: calf · ball · foot · rush · snap · bowl · bear · pitcher

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. snap — to click
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bear — the animal
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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