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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — to bear
  6. drill — the tool
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. drill — army training
  10. rule — a law
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — government
  16. roll — a cake
  17. can — to be able to
  18. roll — a list
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — a practice

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