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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rock — music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ball — a great time
  10. suit — clothes
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. track — to keep track
  17. suit — in cards
  18. rock — a stone

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