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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — a grade
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lean — to bend
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lean — thin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fork — in a road

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