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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: track · bound · saw · bank · fan · lean · bear · rock

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bank — of a river
  6. track — a path
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. track — to keep track
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rock — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. track — a song
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — a supporter

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