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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cap — a hat
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. squash — to crush
  6. tear — from crying
  7. can — to be able to
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. drill — the tool
  13. tear — from crying
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — the sport
  16. tear — to rip
  17. firm — steady
  18. bound — tied together
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bound — certain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bound — obliged
  23. cap — a lid
  24. can — a tin

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