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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 120 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 · wake · ball · mate · swing · lie · object · march

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. swing — music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. march — the month
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ball — a great time
  10. march — the month
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ball — a dance
  14. march — music
  15. lie — to recline
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. swing — to play on
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — an aim
  24. ball — a round shape

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