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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: bound · rock · saw · coach · bore · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bore — to drill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bound — certain
  5. bore — to tire
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. bound — obliged
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — a stone
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rock — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — gave birth

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