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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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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: squash · mark · bass · racket · nail · track · stand · patient

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. track — a song
  4. bass — low music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. track — a path
  7. mark — a trace
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. track — to keep track
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. stand — to bear
  23. bass — the fish
  24. patient — a sick person

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