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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · roll · object · ball · foot · swing · pound · rush

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. object — a thing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. roll — a list
  5. swing — music
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rush — hurry
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pound — a weight
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — to protest
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. swing — in golf
  24. object — an aim

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