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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cap — a lid
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. shower — to wash
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cap — of ice
  13. stand — to bear
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. shower — rain
  16. cap — a hat
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. deal — to handle
  24. mate — a partner

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