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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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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: jam · board · race · racket · bat · firm · roll · bear

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. board — a committee
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. firm — decided
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. race — a contest
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. roll — a list
  16. board — to get on
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. race — humankind
  19. firm — steady
  20. race — the arms race
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  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