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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. track — a song
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. club — for golf
  6. object — to protest
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bass — low music
  11. club — a group
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. track — a path
  14. club — for dancing
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. bound — certain
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — the animal
  24. object — a thing

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