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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — a group
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. club — for dancing
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cue — a signal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. club — for golf
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cue — a hint

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