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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. bank — for money
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pitch — completely
  9. bank — for money
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a great time
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. tear — to rip
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. present — there
  23. drill — army training
  24. tear — from crying

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