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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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — shares
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rash — a series
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stock — goods
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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