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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. game — a match
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. deal — to handle
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. dip — to sink
  21. season — in sport
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. game — wild animals

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