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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 · object · arm · band · board · pop · perch · suit

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. board — a committee
  7. bound — certain
  8. object — a thing
  9. suit — to fit
  10. object — to protest
  11. bound — obliged
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pop — soda
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. object — an aim
  17. bound — tied together
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. band — a music group
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. band — a ring
  24. suit — in cards

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