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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: lash · object · bass · squash · racket · game · pound · track

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. squash — the sport
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. object — a thing
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. object — to protest
  13. game — wild animals
  14. pound — a weight
  15. object — an aim
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — a match
  20. bass — low music
  21. squash — to crush
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. track — a song
  24. bass — the fish

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