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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mug — a cup
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. present — a gift
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. toast — bread
  10. mug — a face
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. present — there
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wake — a trail

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