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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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 — for tennis
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bass — low music
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. swing — in golf
  7. game — wild animals
  8. can — a tin
  9. swing — music
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bass — the fish
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. game — a match
  17. can — to be able to
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. swing — to play on
  20. can — a tin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. plane — a tool
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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