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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: stick · suit · mark · fall · bound · band · file · prune

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fall — the season
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fall — to drop
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. file — a document
  14. band — a ring
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a music group
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. suit — clothes
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — certain
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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