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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 are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bank — for money
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bore — to drill
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bound — certain
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bank — of a river
  15. tube — a container
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bore — to tire
  19. foot — a measure
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bank — for money
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. foot — part of the body

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