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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 120 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: bore · bear · can · row · mug · ground · bound · racket

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ground — a position
  5. can — a tin
  6. row — a line
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mug — a face
  9. bound — tied together
  10. can — to be able to
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. can — a tin
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bound — obliged
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — to tire
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bound — certain

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