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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — certain
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — a committee
  9. cue — a signal
  10. file — a document
  11. land — to come down
  12. board — to get on
  13. bore — to tire
  14. land — a country
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. land — ground
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bark — to shout

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