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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. chip — for betting
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. ground — a position
  15. present — the time now
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. present — there
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — a hole
  24. calf — a young animal

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