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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · board · temple · bark · racket · firm · fine · bowl

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. board — a committee
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. game — a match
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fine — high quality
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bark — to shout
  14. firm — decided
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. fine — all right
  17. firm — steady
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. game — wild animals
  23. firm — a company
  24. board — to get on

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