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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — soda
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. spell — magic
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rash — hasty
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bound — certain
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. spell — a short time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. spell — letters
  24. bound — tied together

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