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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: object · bowl · board · face · band · cue · bound · straw

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. face — part of the head
  3. board — to get on
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. board — a committee
  8. object — to protest
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. bound — certain
  20. face — to point toward
  21. face — to confront
  22. cue — a signal
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. band — a ring

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