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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 116 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: coach · bowl · staff · rush · mine · bound · snap · present

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bound — obliged
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. snap — to click
  8. mine — for digging
  9. bound — certain
  10. present — the time now
  11. bound — tied together
  12. present — a gift
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. staff — a stick
  15. staff — employees
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. present — there
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. staff — employees
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — hurry

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