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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
468
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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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. snap — to speak sharply
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. cap — a lid
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cap — of ice
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. snap — to click
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. cap — a hat
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. toast — bread
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. wake — a trail
  24. roll — a list

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