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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hand — help
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. row — a line
  6. land — ground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. land — to come down
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. land — a country
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. can — to be able to
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. can — a tin
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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