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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. band — a music group
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bat — the animal
  22. band — a ring
  23. mate — a partner
  24. calf — a young animal

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