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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bay · pitcher · field · suit · racket · fine · cue · bark

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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. bark — to shout
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. field — for sport
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — in cards
  14. field — a subject
  15. fine — all right
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fine — high quality
  20. cue — for pool
  21. field — farmland
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. cue — a signal
  24. fine — a penalty

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