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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into 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. scale — for weighing
  3. bank — for money
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bank — of a river
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of a king
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. scale — in music
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mug — a cup
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — music
  21. court — of law
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. pop — soda
  24. ball — a round shape

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