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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.

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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: racket · mouse · lash · pitch · ball · current · race · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. race — a contest
  3. ball — a dance
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pitch — completely
  8. current — of water
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. race — humankind
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. current — happening now
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ball — a great time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. current — electric
  24. racket — a loud noise

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