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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — a cup
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. chair — a leader
  5. mug — a face
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pop — music
  9. sharp — clever
  10. firm — decided
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. land — a country
  14. pop — to visit
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. firm — a company
  17. land — ground
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — steady
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. mug — to rob
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. land — to come down
  24. pop — soda

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