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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: racket · object · mouse · dip · court · stand · straw · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. object — an aim
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. court — of law
  11. object — a thing
  12. court — for sport
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. stand — to bear
  19. dip — to sink
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. object — to protest
  24. court — of a king

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