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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rush — hurry
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rash — hasty
  7. object — an aim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. chip — to eat
  11. object — a thing
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. rash — a series
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. object — to protest
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. current — of water
  24. calf — a young animal

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