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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: perch · pop · track · date · wave · present · racket · cabinet

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pop — to visit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. present — the time now
  7. pop — soda
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. present — a gift
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. pop — music
  12. perch — the fish
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — a path
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. present — there
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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