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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 120 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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chair — a leader
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bank — for money
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. craft — a skill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. craft — boats
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bank — for money
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lie — to recline
  23. perch — the fish
  24. chair — to sit on

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