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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hand · rash · bowl · pop · bore · racket · row · bound

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pop — music
  13. rash — a series
  14. pop — soda
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bound — certain
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. row — a line
  23. hand — help
  24. racket — a loud noise

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