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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: ruler · season · bore · mug · bound · squash · face · board

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. season — in sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bound — certain
  9. face — part of the head
  10. board — a committee
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. mug — to rob
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mug — a cup
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. squash — the sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. bore — to drill
  23. season — of the year
  24. mug — a face

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