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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pop — to visit
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pound — a weight
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rest — a break
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. suit — in cards
  21. pop — soda
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. racket — for tennis

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