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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 120 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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. suit — in cards
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. net — in sport
  11. kick — in football
  12. rock — music
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. board — to get on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. squash — the sport
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. prune — to trim
  19. squash — to crush
  20. prune — to trim
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. suit — to fit

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