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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 120 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: pitcher · file · object · bay · scale · dip · racket · board

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. object — a thing
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — size or range
  8. object — an aim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. file — a document
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — to get on
  17. object — to protest
  18. scale — in music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. dip — to dunk

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