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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rule — government
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rest — a break
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rule — a law
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. pass — a permit
  16. kick — in football
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chair — a leader
  24. pitcher — a jug

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