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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: sharp · ground · snap · racket · bound · mug · board · shower

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mug — a face
  4. ground — crushed
  5. mug — a cup
  6. shower — rain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. mug — to rob
  13. board — to get on
  14. bound — certain
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — to wash
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bound — obliged
  21. board — a committee
  22. ground — the earth
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. racket — for tennis

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