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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: pound · mouse · hand · lash · can · bat · pitcher · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. can — to be able to
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. hand — help
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. can — a tin
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. can — a tin
  23. bat — the animal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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