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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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. bass — low music
  5. stand — to bear
  6. branch — a division
  7. bass — the fish
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kick — in football
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — for tennis

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