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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: rest · lean · roll · track · bound · bore · toast · mate

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. bound — certain
  3. track — a path
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — a song
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. roll — a list
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rest — a break
  16. bore — to tire
  17. track — to keep track
  18. roll — a cake
  19. lean — thin
  20. bound — obliged
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mate — a friend
  23. toast — bread
  24. rest — what's left

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