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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: racket · kid · swing · ball · spell · drill · lean · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. drill — a practice
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — to play on
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. lean — to bend
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. swing — in golf
  12. spell — a short time
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. drill — army training
  17. swing — music
  18. kid — child
  19. drill — the tool
  20. lean — thin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. spell — magic
  23. kid — to tease
  24. spell — letters

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