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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.

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: fork · bore · board · bark · bat · bound · foot · cue

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bat — the animal
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. board — to get on
  10. bore — to drill
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bark — to shout
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bound — tied together
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bound — obliged

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