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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: racket · land · last · game · object · branch · ball · suit

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. suit — clothes
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. object — a thing
  6. game — a match
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. land — to come down
  10. object — an aim
  11. suit — in cards
  12. object — to protest
  13. last — finally
  14. land — ground
  15. suit — to fit
  16. game — wild animals
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. last — final
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. land — a country
  24. racket — for tennis

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