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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: wave · racket · land · track · object · lie · rock · season

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. track — a path
  3. rock — music
  4. land — ground
  5. land — a country
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. rock — a stone
  12. season — of the year
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. season — in sport
  22. land — to come down
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. object — an aim

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