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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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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. game — a match
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. pitch — completely
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. root — the cause
  12. game — wild animals
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. mark — a grade
  17. root — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. race — the arms race
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. mark — a trace
  24. root — of a word

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