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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: cue · ball · bound · pitch · ground · racket · can · board

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ball — a great time
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cue — a hint
  6. can — a tin
  7. bound — tied together
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. board — a committee
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cue — for pool
  14. ground — crushed
  15. ground — a position
  16. bound — obliged
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cue — a signal
  20. board — to get on
  21. ball — a dance
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  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