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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. tube — the underground
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. game — a match
  8. bank — of a river
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. court — of a king
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. court — of law
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bank — for money
  16. court — for sport
  17. game — wild animals
  18. track — a song
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bank — for money
  23. tube — a container
  24. track — a path

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