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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: kick · bat · wake · racket · coach · rule · bulb · ball

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wake — a trail
  5. ball — a dance
  6. rule — a law
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bulb — for light
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rule — government
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. kick — with a leg

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