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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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ball — a dance
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — a break
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. club — for golf
  18. pound — a weight
  19. club — for dancing
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bear — the animal

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