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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. court — of a king
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — to recline
  17. court — for sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. bat — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — employees
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. court — of law

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