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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: suit · racket · spring · wound · board · bowl · march · rush

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — to get on
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. march — the month
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — a coil
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wound — an injury
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. suit — to fit
  16. march — music
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — in cards
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wound — an injury
  23. spring — of water
  24. bowl — to roll

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