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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. scale — in music
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. pit — a hole
  10. branch — a division
  11. cap — a lid
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cap — a hat
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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