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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. root — of a word
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — a price
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bound — obliged
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — certain
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. root — the cause
  17. bound — tied together
  18. row — a line
  19. charge — in control
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. charge — electricity
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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