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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. cap — of ice
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ball — a dance
  8. season — in sport
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. deal — to handle
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a great time
  21. season — of the year
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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