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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — to be able to
  5. face — to point toward
  6. file — a line of people
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — decided
  11. kick — in football
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. file — a tool
  17. can — a tin
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. firm — a company
  20. face — part of the head
  21. firm — steady
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. file — a document
  24. bulb — for light

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