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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. track — a path
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wake — a trail
  8. club — a group
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. stock — shares
  17. club — for dancing
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. track — a song
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. club — for golf
  24. bass — the instrument

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