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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — to bend
  4. club — a group
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mug — to rob
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lean — thin
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. mug — a face
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. mug — a cup
  16. club — for golf
  17. cap — of ice
  18. club — for dancing

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