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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.

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 · tube · temple · deal · lean · saw · bass · game

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  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. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. lean — to bend
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bass — the fish
  17. saw — the tool
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a match
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lean — thin
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tube — a container
  24. game — a kind of play

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