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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bank — of a river
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bank — for money
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bank — for money

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