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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — a tin
  4. squash — to crush
  5. spell — a short time
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spell — letters
  17. can — a tin
  18. board — to get on
  19. spell — magic
  20. can — to be able to
  21. board — a committee
  22. track — a path
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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