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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. band — a music group
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bank — for money
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bass — low music
  8. chair — a leader
  9. band — a ring
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. bank — of a river
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bank — for money
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. mate — a partner

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