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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. rest — what's left
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wake — a trail
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hand — help
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. drill — the tool
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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