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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. suit — to fit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. club — for dancing
  6. fine — high quality
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — all right
  14. club — a group
  15. ball — a great time
  16. perch — the fish
  17. suit — clothes
  18. field — farmland
  19. drill — army training
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. club — for golf
  23. drill — a practice
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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