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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — for sport
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wake — a trail
  8. foot — a measure
  9. swing — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — to protest
  16. swing — in golf
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. court — of law
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. object — an aim
  24. court — of a king

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