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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: lean · bowl · stick · firm · suit · pitcher · bound · rash

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. rash — a series
  3. bound — obliged
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. firm — a company
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. firm — steady
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bound — certain
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. lean — to bend
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. firm — decided
  24. rash — hasty

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