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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. object — to protest
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — there
  6. bass — the fish
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. object — an aim
  14. tear — to rip
  15. present — a gift
  16. tear — from crying
  17. object — a thing
  18. bass — low music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wind — moving air
  23. swing — music
  24. present — the time now

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