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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: row · stock · face · drill · bound · bear · fine · kick

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. row — a line
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bound — obliged
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — in football
  15. bound — certain
  16. stock — goods
  17. face — to confront
  18. fine — high quality
  19. row — to paddle
  20. drill — army training
  21. bear — the animal
  22. fine — all right
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stock — a soup base

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