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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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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 · temple · fork · mate · racket · ball · pass · rush

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. club — for golf
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. mate — a friend
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mate — a partner
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. club — a group
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rush — hurry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fork — in a road
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — to eat with

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