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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: racket · spell · board · race · rest · shower · drill · firm

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. race — the arms race
  3. spell — a short time
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. shower — to wash
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. race — humankind
  8. shower — rain
  9. rest — what's left
  10. firm — decided
  11. spell — letters
  12. board — to get on
  13. spell — magic
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. firm — a company
  17. board — a committee
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. firm — steady
  24. race — a contest

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