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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. present — there
  4. net — after costs
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cap — a lid
  10. chip — to eat
  11. net — for catching
  12. chip — for betting
  13. band — a ring
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. net — in sport
  16. present — a gift
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. band — a music group
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cap — of ice
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. present — the time now

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