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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. object — a thing
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. track — a song
  6. track — a path
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. object — to protest
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. object — an aim
  18. suit — to fit
  19. present — a gift
  20. suit — in cards
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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