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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: bound · can · bay · rash · mug · cabinet · row · rest

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bound — certain
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. rest — a break
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. can — a tin
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. mug — a face
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rash — a series
  19. bound — obliged
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. row — a line
  24. cabinet — ministers

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