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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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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: mine · tear · bear · bound · mate · pass · jam · cabinet

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pass — a permit
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bound — tied together
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mine — for digging

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