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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: bound · lean · ball · suit · fork · bore · lash · rock

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. bound — certain
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. ball — a great time
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — to drill
  11. suit — in cards
  12. lean — thin
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rock — music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. suit — to fit

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