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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.

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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — for paper
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pop — music
  7. present — the time now
  8. craft — boats
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pop — soda
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. band — a ring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. rest — a break
  20. stand — to bear
  21. clip — a video
  22. band — a music group
  23. rest — what's left
  24. craft — a handicraft

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