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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. swing — music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. band — a ring
  9. game — wild animals
  10. lean — thin
  11. band — a music group
  12. swing — to play on
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. swing — in golf
  19. game — a match
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. prune — to trim

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