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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: bound · mug · ground · bear · suit · rock · jam · row

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mug — to rob
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rock — music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bear — the animal
  11. row — a line
  12. mug — a face
  13. ground — crushed
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ground — a position
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — to fit
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — obliged
  24. rock — to move gently

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