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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · racket · bore · leaves · board · pitcher · file · bear

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. file — a line of people
  9. file — a document
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. board — a committee
  12. file — a tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. board — to get on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bear — to put up with

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