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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.

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: racket · dip · drill · board · patient · bass · key · wound

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. board — a committee
  3. bass — the fish
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. bass — low music
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wound — an injury
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wound — an injury
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. board — to get on
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. dip — to sink
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. racket — a loud noise

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