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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. last — to go on
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rest — a break
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. last — final
  11. pitch — completely
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rest — what's left
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — finally
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a horse colour

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