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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: suit · bore · roll · spell · bound · spring · bass · rush

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  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. spell — magic
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bass — low music
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a list
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. spring — of water
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bass — the fish
  16. spell — letters
  17. bore — to tire
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bound — certain
  20. roll — a cake
  21. spring — the season
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  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