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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: fall · coach · mark · board · bore · race · ball · mouse

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fall — the season
  9. board — a committee
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ball — a dance
  12. race — a contest
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. race — the arms race
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. board — to get on

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