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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: bowl · bound · tear · patient · drill · row · mark · racket

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mark — a grade
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. drill — a practice
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. tear — from crying
  17. row — a line
  18. tear — to rip
  19. drill — army training
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. drill — the tool

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