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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: leaves · bore · bound · pass · dip · field · row · bowl

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bound — tied together
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bore — to tire
  11. field — farmland
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. field — a subject
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — a permit
  24. field — for sport

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