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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ball — a dance
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wind — moving air
  10. club — a group
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. club — for dancing

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