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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. staff — a stick
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. swing — in golf
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. swing — music
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. key — in music
  13. staff — employees
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. swing — to play on
  16. key — the most important part
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. key — for a lock
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. staff — employees

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