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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: row · saw · bound · spring · rock · stock · object · bore

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. saw — the tool
  3. object — a thing
  4. spring — of water
  5. object — to protest
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. object — an aim
  11. bore — to drill
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stock — goods
  15. row — to paddle
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bound — certain
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. row — a line
  22. stock — shares
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bound — obliged

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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