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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fall — to drop
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mate — a partner
  10. fall — the season
  11. bore — to drill
  12. season — in sport
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. tube — a container
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mate — a friend
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mate — to breed
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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