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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.

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: board · racket · bear · bass · snap · rock · drill · net

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — in sport
  6. board — a committee
  7. rock — music
  8. board — to get on
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. drill — army training
  12. net — after costs
  13. snap — to click
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bass — the fish
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. net — for catching
  24. bear — the animal

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