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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: bank · pass · bear · fine · bound · wound · row · kid

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — obliged
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bound — certain
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fine — high quality
  16. bank — for money
  17. kid — child
  18. fine — all right
  19. bank — of a river
  20. row — to paddle
  21. kid — to tease
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bear — the animal

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