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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bear · bound · bore · board · game · toast · chair · cue

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  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. chair — to sit on
  2. cue — a hint
  3. game — wild animals
  4. board — to get on
  5. bear — the animal
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bore — to tire
  9. board — a committee
  10. bore — to drill
  11. toast — bread
  12. cue — for pool
  13. bound — obliged
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chair — a leader
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. game — a match
  19. bound — certain
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. game — a kind of play
  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