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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. swing — to play on
  3. bear — the animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. kick — in football
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. swing — music
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. court — for sport
  17. court — of law
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — for money
  20. swing — in golf
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bank — of a river
  23. bear — the animal
  24. court — of a king

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