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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: board · spell · hand · bay · bulb · wound

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wound — an injury
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wound — an injury
  8. spell — letters
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. hand — help
  13. spell — magic
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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