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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. charge — electricity
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lean — thin
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — in control
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bass — low music
  15. charge — a price
  16. lean — to bend
  17. net — for catching
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — to tire
  21. dip — to sink
  22. net — after costs
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. racket — for tennis

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