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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
468
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: board · track · face · bear · patient · bound · bowl · stick

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. track — a path
  4. bound — certain
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. track — a song
  10. bound — obliged
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. board — a committee
  17. bear — the animal
  18. face — to point toward
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. board — to get on
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. board — a flat piece

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