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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. 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. When was this ________________ built?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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. temple — a place of worship
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. cap — of ice
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bore — to drill
  14. cap — a lid
  15. scale — size or range
  16. bore — to tire
  17. scale — in music
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. staff — a stick
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. racket — for tennis

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