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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. rest — a break
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — in control
  4. spell — magic
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — boats
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. spell — a short time
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. charge — a price
  12. rest — what's left
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rock — music
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spell — letters
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitch — completely
  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