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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. present — there
  6. club — a group
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. club — for dancing
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mark — a grade
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rest — what's left
  16. present — the time now
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. present — a gift
  19. mark — a trace
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. club — for golf
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rest — a break
  24. suit — in cards

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