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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bass — low music
  9. kid — child
  10. bound — certain
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. track — a song
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bound — obliged
  21. swing — music
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bound — tied together
  24. kid — to tease

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