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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 rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. file — a tool
  3. mug — to rob
  4. wake — a trail
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. tear — from crying
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mug — a face
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. last — final
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. last — finally
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. file — a document
  19. tear — to rip
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. last — to go on
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. tear — from crying
  24. mug — a cup

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