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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — to fit
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — a city
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. wound — an injury
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wound — an injury
  20. scale — in music
  21. capital — money
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

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