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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.

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: plane · rock · fan · wave · board · bound · march · lie

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bound — certain
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — to get on
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. march — music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rock — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a committee
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. march — the month

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