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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: fork · chair · club · racket · nail · fan · bowl · bass

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. club — for golf
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bass — low music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. club — a group
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — to eat with

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