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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.

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 · rush · bowl · content · saw · game · wave · squash

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. saw — the tool
  3. game — a match
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. content — happy
  15. content — the amount
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rush — hurry

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