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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. wake — a trail
  3. saw — the tool
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. ball — a great time
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. staff — employees
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. ball — a dance
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — soda
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — music
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. staff — employees

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