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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: rash · drill · bound · trunk · wound · bowl · lean · board

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — to get on
  7. lean — thin
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. lean — to bend
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rash — a series
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bound — certain
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. rash — hasty
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bound — tied together

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