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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. track — to keep track
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. band — a ring
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pop — soda
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. track — a path
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. track — a song
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. firm — a company
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. firm — steady
  20. pop — music
  21. firm — decided
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. band — a music group
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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