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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. track — a song
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — to keep track
  13. suit — in cards
  14. perch — the fish
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. lean — thin
  21. pound — a weight
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. lean — to rest against

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