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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. drill — a practice
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pit — a hole
  7. suit — to fit
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ball — a dance
  10. rock — a stone
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ground — a position
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. drill — army training
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. drill — the tool
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ball — a great time

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