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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.

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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: cue · racket · bay · march · arm · bowl · wake · rash

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. march — music
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rash — a series
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. march — the month
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cue — for pool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. cue — a hint
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. march — the month
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rash — hasty
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. racket — a loud noise

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