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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: saw · board · bound · foot · bank · kick · spell · mouse

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. bound — obliged
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. saw — the tool
  6. board — to get on
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bank — for money
  9. spell — magic
  10. bank — of a river
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bank — for money
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. spell — a short time
  23. foot — a measure
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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