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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. club — a group
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mine — for digging
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. club — for dancing
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — a safe
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. club — for golf
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. racket — for tennis

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