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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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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 · hand · perch · march · bay · chest · foot

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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. ball — a round shape
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. perch — the fish
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chest — of your body
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. hand — help
  15. ball — a great time
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. hand — in cards
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chest — a box
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chest — of your body

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