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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
468
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 · shower · hide · lean · rock · fine · bore · mug

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. shower — rain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. rock — music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. lean — thin
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. fine — all right
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bound — certain
  20. fine — high quality
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. lean — to rest against

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