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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: snap · rule · foot · game · stand · racket · ball · jam

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rule — government
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rule — a law
  12. snap — to click
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. foot — a measure
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. stand — to bear
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. game — a match

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