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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. suit — in cards
  5. foot — a measure
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pop — to visit
  10. file — a tool
  11. ball — a dance
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pop — music
  16. pop — soda
  17. file — a document
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. suit — to fit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. file — a line of people
  24. suit — clothes

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