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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. ball — a great time
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bass — low music
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. present — there
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. present — the time now
  18. mark — a grade
  19. present — a gift
  20. pitch — completely
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. ball — a dance

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