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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: kid · race · bound · lean · perch · suit · object · rash

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rash — a series
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. kid — child
  5. suit — clothes
  6. object — a thing
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rash — hasty
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. bound — certain
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. kid — to tease
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. bound — obliged
  17. race — a contest
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — thin

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