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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: row · pound · cabinet · leaves · ground · pass · bore · rock

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rock — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pound — a weight
  8. ground — a position
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. row — a line
  20. ground — crushed
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ground — the earth
  24. row — to paddle

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