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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ball — a great time
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. squash — to crush
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. squash — the sport
  18. scale — in music
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. mate — a friend
  22. ball — a dance
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mate — a partner

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