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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 116 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: firm · mark · row · can · march · leaves · bound · bowl

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. march — music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. can — a tin
  5. firm — steady
  6. march — the month
  7. bound — certain
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. row — a line
  18. bound — tied together
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. row — to paddle
  22. march — the month
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bowl — to roll

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