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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. ball — a dance
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. perch — the fish
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — to be able to
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. fine — all right
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ball — a great time
  21. can — a tin
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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