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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: jam · ball · rest · bark · plane · club · racket · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — a tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rest — what's left
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. club — for dancing
  12. bark — to shout
  13. club — a group
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. ball — a dance
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. club — for golf
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. ball — a great time
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. ball — a round shape
  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