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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: chair · hand · bass · rush · ball · bound · firm · can

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — in cards
  6. can — a tin
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ball — a great time
  9. chair — a leader
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bass — low music
  14. rush — hurry
  15. firm — steady
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bass — the fish
  18. can — a tin
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — decided
  22. bound — certain
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. hand — help

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