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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: staff · fine · kid · pass · squash · bound

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fine — all right
  3. kid — child
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bound — certain
  6. squash — to crush
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bound — tied together
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pass — a permit
  18. staff — employees

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