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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. track — a path
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. track — to keep track
  8. row — to paddle
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. track — a song
  12. row — a line
  13. ball — a dance
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rock — a stone
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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