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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: squash · club · board · racket · rush · dip · court · object

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. object — an aim
  6. court — of law
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. squash — the sport
  9. club — for golf
  10. board — a committee
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — to sink
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. court — of a king
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. board — to get on
  19. object — to protest
  20. club — a group
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — to crush
  23. court — for sport
  24. racket — for tennis

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