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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · chest · last · lean · rash · racket

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. last — to go on
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — to protest
  8. rash — a series
  9. last — finally
  10. object — an aim
  11. lean — thin
  12. chest — of your body
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. last — final
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chest — a box
  18. lean — to bend

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