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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: rush · drill · rock · pass · racket · scale · club · squash

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. squash — to crush
  3. club — for golf
  4. squash — the sport
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rush — hurry
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. drill — a practice
  16. rock — music
  17. drill — the tool
  18. scale — in music
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rock — a stone
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — army training

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