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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. file — a line of people
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rock — a stone
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. file — a document
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — music
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pound — a weight
  23. ball — a great time
  24. file — a tool

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