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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. prune — to trim
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. toast — bread
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. rule — government
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bark — to shout
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. rash — a series
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rule — a law

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