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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: saw · foot · drill · mouse · snap · bound · rash · board

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. snap — to click
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bound — obliged
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. drill — army training
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. drill — the tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bound — certain
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. foot — a measure
  22. drill — a practice
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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