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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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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: tear · bound · file · can · racket · ball · board · dip

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. tear — from crying
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. file — a document
  5. board — to get on
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bound — tied together
  10. ball — a dance
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. tear — to rip
  14. dip — to sink
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bound — obliged
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ball — a great time
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. file — a tool
  21. bound — certain
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. tear — from crying
  24. can — a tin

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