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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pop — music
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. deal — to handle
  6. band — a ring
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bore — to tire
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bore — to drill
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. band — a music group
  21. sharp — clever
  22. chair — a leader
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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