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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 124 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ball — a great time
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. roll — a list
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ball — a dance
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stand — to bear

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