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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: bat · temple · pound · racket · rush · plane · rash · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bat — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. club — a group
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rush — hurry
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. club — for golf
  14. rash — hasty
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rash — a series
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. temple — a place of worship

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