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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 120 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 · content · lash · fork · suit · sharp · plane · rest

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rest — a break
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. sharp — clever
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. content — the amount
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rest — what's left
  16. content — happy
  17. suit — to fit
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bound — tied together
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bound — certain
  24. suit — in cards

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