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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.

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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ground — a position
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ground — crushed
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — the earth
  16. rash — a series
  17. scale — size or range
  18. ball — a great time
  19. scale — in music
  20. bear — the animal
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pit — in a race
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pit — a hole

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