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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: row · racket · bore · ball · chest · lean · fan · pass

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lean — to bend
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bore — to tire
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. ball — a dance
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lean — thin

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