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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. season — of the year
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — electricity
  7. season — in sport
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. drill — army training
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. charge — a price
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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