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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: racket · swing · suit · lash · ball · object · land · foot

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. object — to protest
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. suit — to fit
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — in cards
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. land — to come down
  11. swing — music
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. swing — in golf
  14. suit — clothes
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. land — ground
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. object — an aim
  23. ball — a great time
  24. land — a country

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