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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rest · hide · charge · bear · racket · pitcher · cabinet · stick

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rest — a break
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bear — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — a price
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. hide — animal skin

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