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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: can · roll · bound · bay · fall · drill · pound · leaves

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. drill — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. drill — a practice
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. can — to be able to
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — army training
  11. roll — a list
  12. roll — a cake
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. fall — the season
  17. can — a tin
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bound — certain
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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