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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — a thing
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. object — an aim
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. vault — a safe
  9. march — music
  10. object — to protest
  11. chip — to eat
  12. sharp — clever
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. can — a tin
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. march — the month
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. march — the month
  24. chip — for betting

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