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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. court — for sport
  7. court — of law
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kid — child
  11. ball — a great time
  12. court — of a king
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. suit — to fit
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rock — music
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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