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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bank — for money
  7. stand — to bear
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. object — to protest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bank — for money
  17. object — a thing
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. object — an aim

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