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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. court — for sport
  5. kid — child
  6. present — there
  7. court — of a king
  8. snap — to click
  9. present — a gift
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. present — the time now
  14. kid — to tease
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. court — of law
  17. lie — to recline
  18. snap — to speak sharply

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