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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: hide · bowl · squash · racket · bound · rush · suit · band

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. band — a ring
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bound — obliged
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. suit — in cards
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. squash — the sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bound — tied together
  18. band — a music group
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bound — certain
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. squash — to crush

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