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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: nail · racket · fall · mine · chest · safe · pop · bear

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fall — the season
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pop — soda
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chest — of your body
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chest — a box
  13. mine — for digging
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pop — to visit
  24. racket — for tennis

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