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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. net — for catching
  8. spell — letters
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. band — a music group
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. spell — a short time
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. spell — magic
  23. band — a ring
  24. bay — a horse colour

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