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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · bear · bay · bore · hand · coach · spell · racket

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hand — in cards
  10. spell — a short time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. hand — help
  15. spell — magic
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. spell — letters
  18. board — to get on
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. board — a committee

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