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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: calf · mine · bound · deal · row · toast · can · bowl

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. bound — certain
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. deal — to handle
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mine — for digging
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bound — obliged
  13. can — to be able to
  14. row — a line
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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