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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ground — a position
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pit — a hole
  9. present — there
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ground — crushed
  14. clip — a video
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. fine — all right
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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