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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rock — a stone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. shower — rain
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rock — music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. bound — certain
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — tied together
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bound — obliged
  17. shower — to wash
  18. rock — to move gently

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