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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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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: branch · row · snap · bound · board · mouse · staff · bore

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. row — to paddle
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. board — to get on
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. board — a committee
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. branch — a division
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. row — a line
  21. bore — to tire
  22. snap — to click
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. board — a flat piece

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