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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. degree — from a university
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. foot — a measure
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a great time

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