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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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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: wake · sharp · cue · object · bass · racket · bank · rock

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. sharp — clever
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rock — music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cue — for pool
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. object — to protest
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bass — low music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bass — the fish
  19. object — an aim
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bank — for money
  23. wake — a trail
  24. object — a thing

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