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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ball — a great time
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. can — a tin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fine — high quality
  13. can — to be able to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. deal — to handle
  22. ball — a dance
  23. chip — for betting
  24. racket — for tennis

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