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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: bound · kick · branch · board · racket · bay · bass · race

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bass — the fish
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bound — certain
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bound — tied together
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. race — humankind
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — to get on
  15. bass — low music
  16. branch — a division
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. race — the arms race
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bound — obliged
  22. kick — in football
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. race — a contest

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