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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: field · cabinet · ball · pitch · rock · bay · nail · bark

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. field — for sport
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. field — a subject
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rock — a stone
  20. bark — to shout
  21. field — farmland
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rock — music

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