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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · straw · stick · ruler · wave · fine

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fine — all right
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. fine — high quality
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. stick — a piece of wood

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