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

Word bank: wind · bay · ball · chip · pit · lean · march · bass

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. march — music
  3. lean — to bend
  4. march — the month
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. march — the month
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lean — thin
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bass — the fish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bass — low music
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. ball — a great time
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pit — a hole

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