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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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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: cell · ball · bay · mark · patient · toast · calf · bass

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cell — in biology
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. toast — bread
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cell — a phone
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. bass — low music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bass — the fish
  22. ball — a great time
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. mark — a trace

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