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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rash — a series
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. staff — employees
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. tube — a container
  11. cue — a signal
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rash — hasty
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — a hint
  16. clip — to cut
  17. staff — employees
  18. clip — a video
  19. mate — a partner
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cue — for pool
  22. staff — a stick
  23. clip — for paper
  24. rash — on the skin

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