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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bound — tied together
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — obliged
  6. field — a subject
  7. cue — a hint
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. root — the cause
  10. cue — a signal
  11. band — a music group
  12. cue — for pool
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. deal — to handle
  16. field — farmland
  17. field — for sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. board — to get on
  21. band — a ring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bound — certain

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