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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: wound · bowl · racket · ball · mark · board · suit · net

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — clothes
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. ball — a great time
  8. suit — in cards
  9. net — in sport
  10. board — a committee
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. net — for catching
  14. board — to get on
  15. ball — a dance
  16. net — after costs
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wound — an injury

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