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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: bound · fall · fan · suit · pitch · tube · rock · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rock — music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bound — obliged
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rash — hasty
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — to fit
  13. tube — a container
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bound — tied together
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fall — the season
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bound — certain
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fall — to drop

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