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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: rush · straw · rock · suit · stand · lean · scale · bound

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. lean — thin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stand — to bear
  5. lean — to bend
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. rock — music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — clothes
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — in music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bound — tied together
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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