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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: board · spell · suit · ground · hide · bound · chest · trunk

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — certain
  4. board — to get on
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bound — tied together
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — magic
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chest — a box
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chest — of your body
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — a position
  20. spell — letters
  21. chest — of your body
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. suit — in cards
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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