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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. land — ground
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. key — the most important part
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. key — in music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. land — a country
  20. mine — for digging
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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