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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chip — for betting
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. deal — to handle
  10. game — a match
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. foot — a measure
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — a song
  24. deal — an agreement

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