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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: row · bear · cue · bowl · bound · present · board · march

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. board — to get on
  3. bound — tied together
  4. row — a line
  5. present — there
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. march — the month
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. present — a gift
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cue — for pool
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bound — certain
  16. row — to paddle
  17. board — a committee
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. march — music
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bound — obliged
  22. present — the time now
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bear — the animal

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