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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: rest · rock · plane · swing · season · bat · racket · leaves

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — in golf
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. plane — a tool
  11. swing — to play on
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rock — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rock — a stone
  21. rest — a break
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. swing — music
  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