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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: row · spring · bark · firm · rock · bound · leaves · mine

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — of water
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mine — for digging
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rock — a stone
  12. firm — a company
  13. spring — the season
  14. bark — to shout
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rock — music
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. row — a line
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. firm — steady
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. firm — decided

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