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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stock — goods
  3. bat — the animal
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. band — a ring
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — shares
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. band — a music group
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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