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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · cabinet · bound · drill · land · bowl · race · foot

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bound — obliged
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. drill — a practice
  7. race — humankind
  8. board — to get on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. bound — tied together
  14. board — a committee
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. land — ground
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bound — certain
  20. land — a country
  21. drill — army training
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. land — to come down
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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