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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · ball · fine · board · bear · court · bore · drill

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. ball — a great time
  4. drill — a practice
  5. court — of a king
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — to get on
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. drill — the tool
  12. fine — high quality
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bear — the animal
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. court — for sport
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — army training
  23. bore — to drill
  24. court — of law

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