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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. court — of law
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. can — a tin
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. capital — a city
  12. court — for sport
  13. club — a group
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bark — to shout
  16. club — for golf
  17. capital — money
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of a king
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. club — for dancing
  24. can — a tin

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