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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bound — certain
  3. can — a tin
  4. degree — from a university
  5. can — a tin
  6. court — of a king
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. court — of law
  11. degree — an amount
  12. can — to be able to
  13. degree — temperature
  14. bound — obliged
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. object — to protest
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — a list
  20. object — an aim
  21. roll — a cake
  22. court — for sport
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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