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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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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: season · bowl · bear · present · mouse · bay · ball · straw

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. present — a gift
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — there
  24. bowl — to roll

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