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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: suit · foot · bound · track · rash · row · bear · fine

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fine — all right
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. row — a line
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bound — obliged
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rash — hasty
  14. track — a path
  15. suit — to fit
  16. row — to paddle
  17. suit — clothes
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — a series
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. track — a song
  24. bear — the animal

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