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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. cue — a hint
  5. rest — what's left
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. land — a country
  9. craft — a skill
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cue — a signal
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — for pool
  16. game — a match
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — a list
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. roll — a cake
  22. can — a tin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. roll — on a roll

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