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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — a short time
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ball — a great time
  7. track — a path
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. track — to keep track
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. track — a song
  20. spell — letters
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rock — music
  23. spell — magic
  24. bat — in an idiom

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