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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 116 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: bore · can · board · stick · wound · object

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. board — to get on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — an aim
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. object — a thing
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — to drill
  14. can — a tin
  15. object — to protest
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bore — to tire

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