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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 116 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: lie · pass · row · saw · ball · bound · bore · fork

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. bound — obliged
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. row — a line
  14. pass — a permit
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fork — in a road
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bound — certain

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