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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stock — shares
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bore — to tire
  10. swing — in golf
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stock — goods
  14. object — a thing
  15. board — a committee
  16. object — an aim
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bear — the animal
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. swing — music
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bore — to drill

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