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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 120 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: stand · rash · ruler · fan · pop · racket · chair · ball

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rash — a series
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. rash — hasty
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stand — for spectators
  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