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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
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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: ball · bear · rash · mark · key · drill · bay · board

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bear — the animal
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a great time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. board — to get on
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. drill — the tool
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mark — a grade
  20. board — a committee
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. drill — army training
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — a flat piece

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