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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pop — soda
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bank — for money
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pop — music
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bank — for money
  11. pitch — completely
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lean — thin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rule — government
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rule — a law
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. racket — a loud noise

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