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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. object — a thing
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a dance
  7. track — to keep track
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. track — a path
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — a grade
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — soda
  17. ball — a great time
  18. mark — a trace
  19. object — an aim
  20. track — a song
  21. rock — music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — to visit

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