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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: chair · mouse · fall · drill · present · bound · safe · board

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. present — the time now
  9. fall — to drop
  10. present — a gift
  11. drill — army training
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bound — certain
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fall — the season
  17. board — to get on
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. present — there
  20. drill — a practice
  21. chair — a leader
  22. board — a committee
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bound — tied together

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