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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: pit · court · bay · racket · toast · branch · calf · bear

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pit — in a race
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. toast — bread
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pit — a hole
  20. court — of law
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. branch — a division

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