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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: mark · fan · bay · land · game · rock · bowl · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. land — ground
  7. rock — a stone
  8. land — a country
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. game — a match
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. mark — a trace
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. land — to come down
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. game — a kind of play

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