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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tube — a container
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ground — a position
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. ground — the earth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. ground — crushed
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a face
  16. wound — an injury
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — to go away

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