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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. can — a tin
  24. mouse — the animal

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