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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bass — low music
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. kid — child
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitch — completely
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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