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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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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: ground · toast · last · bore · club · cell · bear · bound

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cell — in biology
  5. last — to go on
  6. bound — certain
  7. ground — crushed
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. ground — a position
  10. cell — a phone
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. club — a group
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. last — final
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — for dancing
  19. toast — bread
  20. club — for golf
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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