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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. tear — to rip
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. net — after costs
  8. shower — rain
  9. tear — from crying
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bass — low music
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. tear — from crying
  17. shower — to wash
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. net — for catching
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. net — in sport
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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