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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pop — soda
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pop — music
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pitch — completely
  24. ruler — a monarch

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