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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: ball · bay · club · stem · snap · tube · kick · roll

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. snap — to click
  5. stem — to come from
  6. tube — a container
  7. club — a group
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. roll — a cake
  13. club — for dancing
  14. roll — a list
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. tube — the underground
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. club — for golf
  21. ball — a great time
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. kick — a thrill

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