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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: hide · net · track · bound · drill · board · squash · object

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. track — to keep track
  3. drill — a practice
  4. net — after costs
  5. squash — the sport
  6. drill — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. track — a path
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. object — to protest
  11. drill — army training
  12. board — to get on
  13. squash — to crush
  14. object — a thing
  15. bound — tied together
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bound — certain
  22. track — a song
  23. bound — obliged
  24. object — an aim

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