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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. staff — a stick
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. staff — employees
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — in football
  10. ball — a great time
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. date — the fruit
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. racket — for tennis

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