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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: racket · rule · coach · can · board · race · drill · spell

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. race — the arms race
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. can — a tin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. race — a contest
  7. board — to get on
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — magic
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. race — humankind
  12. spell — letters
  13. can — a tin
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. drill — army training
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. can — to be able to
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. board — a committee
  24. coach — a trainer

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