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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. ball — a dance
  5. staff — employees
  6. band — a music group
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. staff — a stick
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. staff — employees
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. club — a group
  16. band — a ring
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bat — the animal
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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