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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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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: bore · bank · kick · ball · fall · bound · pound · content

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. content — the amount
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — the season
  9. fall — to drop
  10. bank — for money
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bound — certain
  14. content — happy
  15. bank — for money
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bore — to tire
  18. ball — a dance
  19. kick — in football
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — of a river
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pound — a weight

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