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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — a face
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. vault — a safe
  5. root — of a plant
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. clip — a video
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — the cause
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pit — in a race
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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