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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 · can · fall · roll · board · date · mug · racket

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — a face
  4. roll — a list
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. date — the fruit
  10. can — a tin
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. fall — to drop
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mug — a cup
  17. board — a committee
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fall — the season
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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