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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
468
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: ball · pop · root · lash · racket · bound · shower · bay

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. shower — to wash
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. root — the cause
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. shower — rain
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pop — soda
  14. ball — a dance
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bound — obliged
  18. root — of a word
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — music
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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