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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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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 · fork · pop · bass · current · racket · club · suit

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. suit — in cards
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pop — soda
  5. pop — music
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. suit — clothes
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. fork — in a road
  16. pop — to visit
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for golf
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. current — electric
  24. suit — to fit

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