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

Word bank: racket · bear · stick · suit · cap · saw · fork · bat

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bear — the animal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. saw — the tool
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. cap — of ice
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. cap — a hat

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