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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
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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: racket · hide · club · field · foot · board · shower · roll

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. board — a committee
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — to wash
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. club — a group
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. club — for golf
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. shower — rain
  17. club — for dancing
  18. foot — a measure
  19. field — for sport
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. field — farmland
  22. roll — a list
  23. field — a subject
  24. roll — a cake

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