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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. current — happening now
  3. firm — decided
  4. ball — a dance
  5. current — electric
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. ball — a great time
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — to shout
  11. firm — a company
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — completely
  19. firm — steady
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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