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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.

Make a worksheet

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
YesNo
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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: hand · racket · bass · wave · hide · rock · scale · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hand — in cards
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. scale — in music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. rock — music
  15. bass — low music
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bear — the animal
  18. scale — size or range
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hand — help
  21. bass — the fish
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rock — a stone

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