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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.

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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: fan · bay · bound · arm · board · rush · pound · ball

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. bound — obliged
  3. ball — a dance
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bound — tied together
  8. board — a committee
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. board — to get on
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ball — a great time
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bound — certain
  24. ball — a round shape

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