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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: trunk · coach · rush · mouse · hide · sharp · bound · club

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bound — certain
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — a group
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. club — for golf
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bound — tied together

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