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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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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: bear · lash · mouse · board · bound · field

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bound — obliged
  7. field — farmland
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. field — for sport
  10. bound — certain
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — a subject
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. board — a committee
  16. bear — the animal
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mouse — for a computer

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