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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.

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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 · ball · can · last · suit · lean · spring · dip

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. ball — a great time
  3. spring — a coil
  4. suit — to fit
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. lean — thin
  8. can — a tin
  9. suit — in cards
  10. last — final
  11. dip — to sink
  12. last — finally
  13. spring — of water
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lean — to bend
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bound — certain
  19. spring — the season
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bound — tied together
  23. can — a tin
  24. suit — clothes

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