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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: saw · board · rest · wound · mug · bore · content · cabinet

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. mug — a cup
  7. saw — the tool
  8. content — happy
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. board — to get on
  12. wound — an injury
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — the tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mug — to rob
  18. content — the amount
  19. rest — a break
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mug — a face
  23. board — a committee
  24. bore — to drill

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