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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: mate · board · bound · ball · bowl · dip · nail · squash

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. board — a committee
  3. bound — obliged
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bound — tied together
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mate — to breed
  11. squash — to crush
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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