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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 116 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: last · bulb · board · trunk · bound · shower · cabinet · march

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. bound — certain
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. march — music
  5. last — finally
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. shower — rain
  8. march — the month
  9. last — final
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bound — tied together
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bulb — for light
  15. march — the month
  16. board — a committee
  17. last — to go on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. board — to get on
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. shower — to wash
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bound — obliged

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