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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: drill · board · stick · bowl · file · spell · bound · wave

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — a short time
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a document
  7. board — to get on
  8. file — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. spell — magic
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. spell — letters
  15. board — a committee
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. drill — army training
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. file — a line of people
  24. wave — of the sea

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