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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chest — a box
  3. bark — to shout
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a skill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. craft — boats
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ball — a great time
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bass — low music

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