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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: shower · drill · stand · stick · bound · craft · toast · trunk

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — obliged
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. bound — certain
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. drill — army training
  11. shower — rain
  12. drill — the tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stand — to bear
  19. toast — bread
  20. drill — a practice
  21. craft — boats
  22. shower — to wash
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. trunk — of a car

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