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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. drill — army training
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fine — all right
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a dance
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. firm — decided
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stand — on your feet

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