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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 120 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  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 — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. mug — a face
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mug — a cup
  9. game — wild animals
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pop — music
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bore — to tire
  17. game — a match
  18. prune — to trim
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pop — soda
  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