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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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. court — of a king
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a cup
  8. squash — to crush
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. mug — a face
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. court — of law
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. present — a gift
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — for sport
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. squash — the sport

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