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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — music
  4. prune — to trim
  5. tube — a container
  6. fork — in a road
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ball — a great time
  11. present — a gift
  12. swing — to play on
  13. present — the time now
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. swing — in golf
  16. present — there
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fork — a garden tool

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