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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: leaves · bass · ruler · rash · bound · straw · bore · pound

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. rash — a series
  5. bass — the fish
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — obliged
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pound — a weight
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bound — certain
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. straw — a straw man

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