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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. last — finally
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. last — final
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bound — certain
  17. pound — a weight
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. last — to go on
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bound — obliged
  22. row — a line
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pound — for dogs

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