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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — the animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rock — a stone
  10. club — a group
  11. can — a tin
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rock — music
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — to protest
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. object — an aim
  24. can — a tin

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