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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: ball · bulb · bound · sharp · board · racket · mate · kick

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bound — tied together
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. board — to get on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — certain
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mate — a friend
  12. board — a committee
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mate — to breed
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. mate — a partner
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. racket — for tennis

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