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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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fall — the season
  8. net — after costs
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. net — for catching
  13. mate — to breed
  14. mate — a partner
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. net — in sport
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. snap — to click
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mug — a face
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mug — a cup

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