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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: field · game · bowl · wake · present · board · temple · bound

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bound — certain
  4. game — a match
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. wake — a trail
  7. present — a gift
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. field — for sport
  12. bound — tied together
  13. present — the time now
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. field — a subject
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. board — a committee
  22. bound — obliged
  23. field — farmland
  24. game — a kind of play

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