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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. prune — to trim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. scale — size or range
  11. march — the month
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. march — music
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. march — the month
  22. scale — in music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lie — an untruth

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