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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cap — a hat
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. ball — a dance
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — tied together
  8. rest — what's left
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rest — a break
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bound — certain
  14. rest — what's left
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — to wash
  20. ball — a great time
  21. game — a match
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. safe — out of danger

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