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

Word bank: bat · racket · track · rule · wave · stick · bay · can

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. track — a song
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. track — to keep track
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bat — the animal
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. can — a tin
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. track — a path
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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