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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. rush — hurry
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. charge — a price
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. season — in sport
  12. lean — thin
  13. charge — in control
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. season — of the year
  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