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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ball — a great time
  3. fine — all right
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ground — the earth
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — a position
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bank — for money
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. ground — crushed
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — of a river
  24. racket — for tennis

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