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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.

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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: club · racket · object · bowl · nail · rock · pop · rush

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. club — for dancing
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. object — an aim
  7. club — for golf
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — a thing
  11. pop — soda
  12. pop — music
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. object — to protest
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. rush — hurry
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. club — a group

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