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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fall — the season
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. march — the month
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. capital — money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. march — the month
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fall — to drop
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. can — to be able to
  17. march — music
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. fall — to drop
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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