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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: scale · rush · racket · net · plane · swing · fork · rock

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rock — music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. net — after costs
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — hurry
  14. swing — to play on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. swing — music
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. scale — in music
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. net — in sport
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. scale — size or range

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