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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. hand — help
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pop — soda
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. snap — to click

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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