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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 120 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: firm · sharp · bore · saw · staff · board · land · bound

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. board — to get on
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. bore — to drill
  9. saw — the tool
  10. land — ground
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. staff — employees
  13. firm — steady
  14. board — a committee
  15. sharp — clever
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. staff — employees
  18. firm — a company
  19. saw — the tool
  20. land — a country
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bore — to tire
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. land — to come down

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