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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: racket · toast · bay · pass · mine · spring · foot · suit

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. spring — the season
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. foot — a measure
  5. toast — bread
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. suit — in cards
  8. spring — of water
  9. pass — a permit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — clothes
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. suit — to fit

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