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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bound — tied together
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — of a word
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. face — to point toward
  13. can — a tin
  14. face — to confront
  15. season — of the year
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. root — the cause
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. root — of a plant
  22. bound — certain
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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