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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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. perch — the fish
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. firm — steady
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mark — a grade
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. firm — decided
  20. band — a ring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. band — a music group
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. firm — a company

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