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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: stand · bank · row · racket · foot · wave · ball · fan

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. stand — to bear
  4. ball — a great time
  5. bank — for money
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bank — for money
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. row — to paddle
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bank — of a river
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. row — a line
  24. stand — on your feet

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