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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 · key · land · squash · bass · bore · wave · face

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. land — a country
  5. key — the most important part
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. face — to confront
  9. bore — to tire
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. key — in music
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bass — low music
  18. land — to come down
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — to drill
  22. squash — the sport
  23. key — for a lock
  24. racket — for tennis

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