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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bore — to drill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mark — a trace
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. kid — child
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bore — to tire
  14. court — for sport
  15. court — of law
  16. fine — all right
  17. pass — a permit
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — of a king
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mark — a grade

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