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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — army training
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. drill — the tool
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. perch — the fish
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rock — music
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. tube — the underground
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. perch — for a bird

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