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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: fine · hand · racket · board · race · straw · bowl · hide

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. race — a contest
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. race — the arms race
  12. board — a committee
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. board — to get on
  18. race — humankind
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. fine — all right
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hand — help

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