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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: leaves · kick · racket · squash · rock · dip · race · ball

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. squash — to crush
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. kick — in football
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. race — a contest
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. dip — to sink
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. squash — the sport
  16. race — humankind
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. race — the arms race
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rock — music
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. ball — a great time
  24. rock — a stone

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