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

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — the fish
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bass — low music
  16. plane — a tool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. calf — a young animal

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