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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 116 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · bay · ball · ground · track · bass · racket · saw

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ball — a great time
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bass — the fish
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bass — low music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — the earth
  17. track — a song
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. track — a path
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. saw — the tool
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. track — to keep track

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