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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: bound · fine · lash · object · swing · mate · board · lean

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. object — to protest
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lean — thin
  5. swing — in golf
  6. board — to get on
  7. swing — music
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mate — a friend
  11. object — an aim
  12. board — a committee
  13. bound — obliged
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. swing — to play on
  16. mate — a partner
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bound — tied together
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. object — a thing
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. fine — all right

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