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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: board · row · firm · racket · ball · bear · chair · track

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chair — a leader
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bear — the animal
  6. row — a line
  7. board — a committee
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. track — a path
  13. bear — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. board — to get on
  16. firm — decided
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. firm — a company
  19. track — a song
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — to keep track
  22. firm — steady
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ball — a great time

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