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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: jam · lie · cue · racket · bowl · ground · fan · track

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ground — a position
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. track — a song
  11. cue — a hint
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. track — to keep track
  15. ground — the earth
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ground — crushed
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. track — a path
  24. jam — a tight spot

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