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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — of a river
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. bank — for money
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bank — for money
  13. board — to get on
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rash — a series
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. drill — army training
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. ground — crushed
  20. board — a committee
  21. ground — a position
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — tied together

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