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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mark — a grade
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bass — low music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mug — a face
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mug — a cup
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. kick — in football
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mine — an explosive

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