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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. season — of the year
  4. race — humankind
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. object — to protest
  9. chip — to eat
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — the arms race
  12. chip — for betting
  13. object — a thing
  14. toast — bread
  15. cue — a hint
  16. season — in sport
  17. object — an aim
  18. race — a contest
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. cue — a signal
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. cue — for pool
  24. temple — a place of worship

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