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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · mark · straw · bound · wave · rule · rash · rest

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bound — tied together
  3. bound — certain
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. rule — a law
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rash — hasty
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rash — a series
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rest — a break
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bound — obliged
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mark — a grade
  22. rule — government
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rule — to rule out

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