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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. hand — help
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hand — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ball — a dance
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ball — a great time

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