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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: bound · spell · mouse · stand · craft · fork · suit · last

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — letters
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. last — to go on
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — tied together
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stand — to bear
  9. last — final
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. fork — in a road
  19. spell — magic
  20. last — finally
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. craft — boats
  24. fork — a garden tool

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