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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 116 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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. root — of a plant
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. root — of a word
  13. key — in music
  14. saw — the tool
  15. key — the most important part
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bass — low music
  19. root — the cause
  20. bass — the fish
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — the tool
  24. key — for a lock

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