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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
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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: object · spell · racket · bass · suit · pound · ball · race

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. race — a contest
  3. spell — letters
  4. race — humankind
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — magic
  10. object — an aim
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a dance
  13. object — a thing
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. pound — a weight
  17. race — the arms race
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. ball — a great time
  24. suit — to fit

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