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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chip · bore · bound · coach · rush · mug · lean · band

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. band — a music group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mug — a cup
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bore — to tire
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mug — a face
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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