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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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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: wake · racket · jam · pound · race · fall · hide · ball

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. race — a contest
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fall — to drop
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. ball — a great time
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. race — the arms race
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — the season
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. race — humankind
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ball — a dance
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. wake — before a funeral

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