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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. prune — to trim
  3. roll — a list
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. band — a ring
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bass — the fish
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — in football
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bass — low music

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