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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. present — there
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. tear — to rip
  7. saw — the tool
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — all right
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. kid — child
  14. present — a gift
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. kid — to tease
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. present — the time now
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tear — from crying
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fine — high quality

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