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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: bore · rash · bank · racket · board · tear · snap · drill

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. tear — from crying
  4. board — to get on
  5. bore — to drill
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rash — a series
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rash — hasty
  16. drill — army training
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. drill — a practice
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. board — a committee
  21. tear — from crying
  22. snap — to click
  23. tear — to rip
  24. drill — the tool

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