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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 120 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 hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. band — a ring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a great time
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bass — low music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. ball — a dance
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. key — in music
  19. band — a music group
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. foot — a measure

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