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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.

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: foot · sharp · bass · ball · hide · bay · bear · lean

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bass — low music
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. lean — thin
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bass — the fish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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