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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. band — a music group
  7. pit — in a race
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pit — a hole
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. band — a ring
  24. bore — to tire

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