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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. lean — thin
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. club — for golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. club — for dancing
  15. march — the month
  16. row — a line
  17. firm — steady
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. club — a group
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. lean — to rest against

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