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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: kid · bay · bowl · racket · dip · tube · rock · foot

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rock — music
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. kid — child
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. rock — a stone
  17. tube — a container
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. foot — a measure
  23. kid — to tease
  24. racket — a loud noise

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