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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 116 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: pass · rash · ball · bear · straw · bound · racket · bay

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bound — certain
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rash — a series
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pass — a permit

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