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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — in cards
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stand — to bear
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bat — the animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — all right
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. suit — clothes

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