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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. band — a ring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. content — the amount
  12. row — a line
  13. content — happy
  14. craft — boats
  15. row — to paddle
  16. band — a music group
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. craft — a skill
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. vault — a safe

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