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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bass — the fish
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mine — for digging
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bass — low music
  16. object — a thing
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. game — a match
  24. racket — a loud noise

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