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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — music
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. net — after costs
  20. rest — a break
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. net — for catching
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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