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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bound — obliged
  3. club — a group
  4. fine — all right
  5. squash — to crush
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — a cup
  8. club — for golf
  9. root — the cause
  10. fine — high quality
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. mug — to rob
  16. club — for dancing
  17. present — there
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mug — a face
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bound — certain
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. root — of a word

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