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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: racket · track · drill · jam · degree · mouse · wake · bank

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. degree — temperature
  4. drill — army training
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. drill — the tool
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bank — for money
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bank — of a river
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. degree — an amount
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. degree — from a university
  22. track — a song
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. track — a path

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