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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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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 · lash · press · spell · stand · hand · leaves · firm

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — certain
  5. spell — magic
  6. press — newspapers
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. spell — letters
  9. press — to push
  10. hand — in cards
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. firm — steady
  14. bound — obliged
  15. firm — decided
  16. hand — help
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. spell — a short time
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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