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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 116 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: board · straw · court · track · suit · snap · stick · racket

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. court — of a king
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. board — to get on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to click
  7. track — to keep track
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. suit — in cards
  16. track — a song
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. board — a committee
  24. track — a path

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