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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: hand · suit · bark · racket · leaves · bound · fan · squash

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. bound — obliged
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bound — certain
  16. squash — the sport
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. hand — in cards
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bound — tied together
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — in cards

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