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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: court · drill · stick · fan · rash · pitcher · safe · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. rash — a series
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. rash — hasty
  5. drill — a practice
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. court — for sport
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. court — of a king
  18. drill — army training
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bound — certain
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — tied together
  23. court — of law
  24. pitcher — a jug

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