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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. game — wild animals
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bore — to tire
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to drill
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. game — a match

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