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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 116 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: leaves · rush · stand · squash · last · bound · stick · row

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. last — finally
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. row — a line
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — hurry
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. last — final
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. last — to go on
  13. row — to paddle
  14. squash — the sport
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bound — obliged
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. stand — to bear

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