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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — to get on
  9. scale — in music
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. present — there
  12. pit — a hole
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. craft — a skill
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — the underground
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. present — a gift
  20. scale — size or range
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — a container
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. craft — boats

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