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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: bowl · bore · board · net · bound · cabinet · bark · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. board — to get on
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. net — for catching
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. net — after costs
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bore — to drill
  18. board — a committee
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bound — certain
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bark — to shout

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