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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pass · bowl · bound · lash · spell · board · content · arm

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. board — a committee
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bound — certain
  7. board — to get on
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bound — obliged
  12. spell — letters
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. spell — magic
  15. content — the amount
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. content — happy
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. spell — a short time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. arm — a part of something

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