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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. shower — rain
  4. bear — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to confront
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cue — a signal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. cue — for pool
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. tear — to rip
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — part of the head
  23. tear — from crying
  24. calf — a young animal

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