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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. present — the time now
  3. bass — low music
  4. present — a gift
  5. wake — a trail
  6. object — a thing
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. present — there
  11. vault — a safe
  12. kick — in football
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. object — an aim
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ball — a round shape

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