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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — there
  5. bound — certain
  6. present — the time now
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. present — a gift
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bore — to tire
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. dip — to sink
  14. row — a line
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rash — a series
  18. bound — obliged
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. dip — a sauce

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