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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — a friend
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mate — a partner
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bat — the animal

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