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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. scale — in music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — shares
  8. stand — to bear
  9. scale — size or range
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — a series
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. face — to confront
  19. stock — goods
  20. ball — a great time
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a dance

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