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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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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: date · object · spell · shower · arm · bound · board · suit

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. shower — rain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. date — the fruit
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bound — obliged
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. object — a thing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. object — to protest
  12. suit — clothes
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. bound — certain
  15. suit — in cards
  16. spell — a short time
  17. board — to get on
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. date — on the calendar

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