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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: rock · clip · racket · object · hide · fan · mark · wake

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. clip — for paper
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — a grade
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. clip — a video
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. clip — to cut
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. rock — music
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wake — a trail
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — a loud noise

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