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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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. charge — in control
  4. squash — to crush
  5. band — a music group
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mark — a trace
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. rush — hurry
  11. dip — to sink
  12. charge — electricity
  13. court — for sport
  14. mark — a grade
  15. charge — a price
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. band — a ring

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