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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: prune · bowl · mug · toast · suit · row · bound · march

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. march — the month
  3. toast — bread
  4. mug — to rob
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. march — the month
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mug — a face
  14. march — music
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — to trim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. prune — to trim
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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