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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fine — high quality
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fine — all right
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. deal — a big deal

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