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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
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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 · mug · suit · bound · last · arm · ball · squash

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bound — certain
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bound — obliged
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bound — tied together
  9. last — to go on
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. row — a line
  13. last — finally
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. last — final
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mug — a cup
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. row — to paddle
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mug — a face

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