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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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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 · sharp · march · lash · bay · wind · suit · stick

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — to fit
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wind — moving air
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bound — obliged
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — in cards
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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