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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · pit · scale · rash · press · leaves · ball · arm

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. rash — a series
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. press — to push
  14. press — a publisher
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. press — newspapers
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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