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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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. land — ground
  4. pop — music
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. land — a country
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bass — low music
  15. rash — a series
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — to visit
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pop — soda
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. land — to come down

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