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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: racket · rush · mine · fine · stand · roll · bound · sharp

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — tied together
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fine — high quality
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. rush — hurry
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. sharp — clever
  16. roll — a list
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. mine — for digging
  19. fine — all right
  20. bound — certain
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stand — to bear
  24. roll — a cake

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