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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 116 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. suit — to fit
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pitch — completely
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mate — a partner
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. game — a match
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. prune — to trim
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. game — wild animals

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