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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. band — a music group
  4. present — a gift
  5. rule — a law
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rock — music
  11. band — a ring
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. present — there
  15. squash — the sport
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rule — government
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. present — the time now
  23. bass — low music
  24. squash — to crush

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