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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: wind · wake · board · shower · foot · fork · suit · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. foot — a measure
  3. wake — a trail
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. board — to get on
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. shower — to wash
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. wind — moving air
  12. shower — rain
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fork — in a road
  17. suit — to fit
  18. board — a committee
  19. suit — in cards
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. suit — clothes
  24. board — a flat piece

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