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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 116 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. club — for dancing
  4. fall — to drop
  5. club — for golf
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fall — the season
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bat — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a great time
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fall — to drop
  24. racket — a loud noise

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