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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: mouse · roll · bound · field · bore · pitcher · ball · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bound — tied together
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a great time
  7. field — farmland
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — a subject
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bound — certain
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — for sport
  18. bore — to tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. roll — a list
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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