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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. march — music
  6. content — happy
  7. roll — a list
  8. march — the month
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. roll — a cake
  11. tube — the underground
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. ball — a great time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. tube — a container
  17. march — the month
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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