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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: roll · bowl · row · nail · rest · pass · bore · bound

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. roll — a cake
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. rest — a break
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bound — certain
  19. roll — a list
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bore — to tire
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bound — tied together
  24. row — a line

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