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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
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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: lean · mate · toast · board · game · racket

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. toast — bread
  4. board — to get on
  5. lean — thin
  6. game — a match
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mate — to breed
  10. lean — to bend
  11. board — a committee
  12. mate — a friend
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. game — wild animals

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