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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · sharp · plane · court · mate · perch · suit · spell

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. mate — a partner
  3. court — of law
  4. spell — a short time
  5. court — for sport
  6. mate — to breed
  7. court — of a king
  8. bound — tied together
  9. bound — certain
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — clever
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mate — a friend
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. spell — magic
  22. suit — in cards
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. suit — clothes

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