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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.

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: mine · ball · fine · racket · dip · kick · rash · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rash — a series
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. kick — in football
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. rash — hasty
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mine — for digging

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