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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. perch — the fish
  5. club — for dancing
  6. field — farmland
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. rest — what's left
  9. field — a subject
  10. rest — what's left
  11. club — a group
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rest — a break
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. stand — to bear
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. field — for sport
  24. club — for golf

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