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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.

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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: stock · object · season · nail · racket · bear · board · bore

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bore — to drill
  3. board — a committee
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. board — to get on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stock — goods
  15. object — to protest
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stock — shares
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. object — an aim
  24. season — in sport

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