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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: present · racket · coach · suit · bass · bat · saw · club

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. club — for dancing
  4. present — a gift
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. bat — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. club — for golf
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. present — there
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — in cards
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bass — low music
  24. bass — the fish

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