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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bank — for money
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. land — to come down
  8. land — a country
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. fall — the season
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fall — to drop
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fall — to drop

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