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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stand — to bear
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — boats
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. season — of the year
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. craft — a skill
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. spring — of water
  18. season — in sport
  19. spring — the season
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spring — a coil
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stand — for spectators

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