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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitch — completely
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. scale — in music
  19. ball — a great time
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. scale — size or range
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. scale — for weighing

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