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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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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: pit · mouse · racket · chest · ball · tube · present · perch

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pit — a hole
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. present — a gift
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. chest — a box
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. present — the time now
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. chest — of your body
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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