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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 116 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: bass · board · bound · bore · spell · perch · march · bowl

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  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. march — the month
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. spell — magic
  11. bass — low music
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. board — a committee
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. march — the month
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bore — to drill
  18. perch — the fish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. board — to get on
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. march — music
  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