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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. toast — bread
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. club — a group
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rule — a law
  12. ball — a dance
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. ball — a great time
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rule — government
  24. stand — for spectators

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