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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bound — certain
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — a measure
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bank — for money
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bank — for money
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — music
  18. snap — to click
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bound — tied together
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rock — a stone
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. prune — to trim

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