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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. scale — in music
  3. swing — music
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — ground
  11. kick — in football
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. swing — in golf
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. swing — to play on
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. land — a country
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kick — a thrill

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