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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.

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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.

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 · track · bowl · kid · spring · bass · suit · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. spring — a coil
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. spring — of water
  5. kid — child
  6. spring — the season
  7. bass — low music
  8. suit — clothes
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. kid — to tease
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. track — a song
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. suit — to fit
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rock — a stone
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bass — the fish
  23. track — a path
  24. bowl — a football final

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