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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: board · nail · cap · bat · racket · bound · roll · pit

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. roll — a list
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. pit — a hole
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pit — in a race
  12. roll — a cake
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bound — certain
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bat — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — a lid
  24. board — to get on

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