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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · row · jam · bowl · object · pop · wave · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. object — to protest
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pop — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hand — help
  13. object — an aim
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — to visit
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. object — a thing
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. row — a quarrel

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