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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: mouse · ball · drill · pit · pound · present · lean · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. drill — army training
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. present — the time now
  7. ball — a great time
  8. present — there
  9. pit — a hole
  10. drill — a practice
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. ball — a dance
  24. present — a gift

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