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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — in cards
  5. swing — to play on
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. rest — a break
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. row — a line
  12. stand — to bear
  13. swing — music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. suit — to fit
  22. fall — to drop
  23. swing — in golf
  24. row — to paddle

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