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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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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: calf · mate · cap · race · pop · bowl · board · bound

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. mate — to breed
  4. pop — soda
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. race — the arms race
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. race — humankind
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bound — certain
  18. race — a contest
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pop — music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. board — a committee

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