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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: row · suit · hide · nail · dip · stick · board · racket

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. row — to paddle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. board — to get on
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. row — a line
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. board — a committee

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