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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
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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: roll · bore · bowl · suit · fan · object · bound · pop

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. suit — clothes
  3. roll — a list
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pop — soda
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bound — certain
  9. pop — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. object — to protest
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bound — tied together
  15. object — a thing
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. roll — a cake
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bore — to tire
  22. object — an aim
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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