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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. drill — a practice
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — a law
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. bark — to shout
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. drill — the tool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. drill — army training
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — government
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ball — a great time
  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